Chapter 2: Betrothal Gifts
Then.
"I have absolutely no interest in marrying some girl, some—some scavenger," Armitage Hux growls angrily, eyes darting from the Emperor's red guard back to the black-clad figure that now sits upon Snoke's —no, Ren's— throne.
Even just the idea is disgusting, some filthy girl from some backwater, good for nothing planet—Hux certainly deserves better. Not that he wants a wife or—or needs one.
A cold laugh echoes throughout the throne room, making the hairs on the back of Hux's neck stand on end.
"Of course, you don't," The Emperor rasps, voice strange and crackling through the modulator helmet that the new ruler always wears. "But she is instrumental to my plans. And I cannot have her unless she is willing. And she must be willing."
Hux swallows, throat tight and face oddly hot at the words the Emperor says, "willing?" His voice sounds strange and foreign to him. "Why willing?"
He can't tell if the Emperor is smiling behind the mask, but he feels a charge in the air, either he's upset the Emperor, or he's pleased him. He's not certain.
"Because, if she is willing, I can mold her," the Emperor rasps. "Unwilling, she will always be fighting us."
There is no us—Hux almost allows himself to think—before he changes his mind. Hux won't give himself up that quickly, won't let the Emperor know how much he is disgusted by this new regime.
"And how do I—I?" He pauses, focused again, and suddenly thoughtful. "How do I make her willing?"
The Emperor rises slowly, moving from the roughly carved onyx throne to stand before the Grand Marshal on the high dais.
"How does any great conqueror win the hearts of the conquered people?" The Emperor asks with mild humor.
Hux purses his lips and waits.
"By wooing," the Emperor says.
For some reason, the thought is electrifying, but in a terrible way. A sort of shock radiates through his entire body at the word.
"So, woo her," the Emperor commands.
—
Now.
It is late in the evening when the envoy arrives at the Resistance camp, led by masked Knight riding a speeder bike and flanked by a dozen armed stormtroopers.
"I come with a gift," the Knight says by way of introduction, climbing off the speeder bike and indicating several large sealed crates carried by their entourage. "For the Grand Marshal's future wife."
The word wife makes Rey wrinkle her nose momentarily. What kind of insulting things has the Grand Marshal sent her to ready her for their wedding night? She almost fears to look in the crates, expecting a grotesque spectacle, something vulgar that would add insult to the obvious injury of having had to make this agreement in the first place. But General Organa requires the crates inspected before they can be presented to Rey.
After the crates have been properly looked over, Leia herself glances at the contents, shaking her head she motions for Rey to come over and observe them herself. Rey swears she hears the General mutter something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like 'men.'
To Rey's surprise, the crates are filled with food. Real food not just ration bars, like they'd been fed for the past few years. Real, whole, fresh food. Fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses, and bread. There's even a crate full of wine and teas. Rey works hard to keep her face impassive, but her traitorous stomach gives her away by growling loudly.
The tall Knight covered in a chrome and black mask doesn't betray anything as she cocks her head at Rey.
"Will you accept the gift?" The Knight asks, her voice tinged with something like amusement, discernible even through the modulator on her helmet.
Rey looks from the Knight to the gathered group of Resistance soldiers and then to Leia. Leia's mouth is a hard line, but she gives Rey a nod, as if to say, it's up to you.
It only takes her a moment, as she decides, because if it is poisoned then perhaps this death would be better than going to the Grand Marshal's bed. Better than whatever he might expect of her there. And besides, she'd get to be with Ben again. Her heart lurches in her chest.
"Yes," she replies hastily, looking back to the Knight and nodding. "I will accept the gift."
"Good," the Knight says. "Since you have accepted this gift, the Grand Marshal has something else for you."
The Knight is formidable in her black durasteel armor as she comes to stand before Rey holding a small box wrapped in brown paper. She presents the gift to Rey, bowing her helmeted head slightly as she does.
"What is it?" Rey asks, not daring to reach out and take the box.
"Open it," the Knight says, holding it out to her. Rey hesitates for a moment before she finally takes the box from the Knight's gloved hand.
She carefully unwraps the package, painfully aware that all the eyes of the camp are on her now. The paper falls away, and she finds herself holding a red wooden box with a small clasp. She holds it gently with one hand, and with the other, she pries it open.
Inside sits a small band of some foreign metal, a ring. Confusion floods through her at the sight of it, a band the color of Jakku sand, but it shines, glimmering in the light. Atop the band sits a large orange-gold crystal beset on either side by two moonstone blue gems. Looking at the ring reminds her instantly of home, Jakku, with it's one large sun and two beautiful moons. It's almost as if the band was designed with that in mind. It's stunningly beautiful and obviously more expensive than anything Rey has ever owned.
Why this is worth more than five years portions, she's sure.
"Please try it on," the Knight says.
She lifts the ring out of the box, momentarily forgetting who sent her the gift, and glides it over her finger, it's slightly too big, and she frowns.
"It belongs on this finger," the Knight says patiently, pointing at the second to last finger on her left hand.
"Oh—" Rey whispers, feeling foolish. She tugs the ring off her pinky finger and slides it onto her other finger, flushing in embarrassment.
It fits perfectly. And she feels slightly compelled to hold her hand out in front of her to admire it. It's jewelry. Real jewelry. She's never owned a piece so lovely. But then she remembers who sent it and suddenly it feels more like a symbol of her captivity than a loving gift bestowed upon a blushing bride. She frowns.
"He wants me to have this?"
"He's quite generous," the Knight says matter-a-factly. "One of his better attributes to be sure." There's a hint of humor behind the mask again. Rey takes the ring off quickly, plopping it back into the box before she can even think of pawning it for rations, or allies, or even worse, using it to barter for bounty hunters.
There's an awkward moment of silence, following a nod from the Knight, "Please bring the ring to the ceremony tomorrow, it's only the engagement band. The Grand Marshal has something else, more extravagant planned for your wedding band."
More extravagant? Rey narrows her eyes; she can't be bought with expensive gifts. She won't be some—some kept woman.
"Shall I give him a message from you?" The Knight asks. "As we must take our leave shortly."
What words could she send the Grand Marshal? A thank you? How could she thank him for this awful choice she had to make? Perhaps she could thank him for bringing her to him, for making it easy for her. She'll be sleeping in his rooms, in his bed. And soon she'll be able to kill him. So yes, she supposes, a thank you is in order. Not for the food and not for the ring, but certainly for the chance to avenge Ben Solo.
"Yes," Rey replies slowly, trying to choose her words carefully. "Please thank the Grand Marshal for providing me with this opportunity."
The Knight nods, "Till tomorrow, Lady Rey." The stormtroopers and Knight leave the opened crates and mount their speeders.
"Wait," Rey says suddenly. "What are you called?"
The Knight glances up from her seat on her speeder bike, "Veserra Ren."
"Thank you," Rey whispers as the Knight, and her company departs, dust kicking up as their bikes glide over rough grass of the planet's surface. These gifts, and this Knight, if anything, the Grand Marshal has definitely begun to pique her interest.
Leia comes to stand next to Rey as they watch the troopers set off. She lays a gentle hand on Rey's shoulder.
"Well, this seems to be the start of something," Leia says with a laugh.
"Of what?"
"Something good, I hope," Leia replies. "May I see the ring?"
Rey nods and absently hands the box to Leia, who lifts the lid and peers inside. She studies the ring for a moment before passing it back to Rey.
"What do you think?" Rey asks anxiously.
Leia gives her a warm smile, "Well, I wouldn't be quick to judge a man. Maybe in my youth, but I've learned since then. It's a good sign that he's putting in such effort. Just be wary. As I know, you will."
Rey lets out a sigh.
"And that ring," Leia pauses. "That ring is stunning. He had to have help picking something like that out. From the looks of it, he's done his homework on you. He's a smart man. But just remember what I told you, dear."
"I will," Rey replies. The speeder bikes are entirely out of view now, but Rey still stares after them. "And when I have the chance, I'll avenge Ben."
Leia bows her head, her arm draping over Rey's shoulder to pull her close, "I'm not sure that's what Ben would've wanted."
Eyes glistening with unshed tears, Rey turns to look into the kind eyes of Leia Organa, the woman she wishes had been her mother.
"I have to do something."
"I know," Leia replies, placing a soft kiss on the crown of Rey's head. "But you need to find out what happened first, we're not even certain it was the Grand Marshal who killed him."
Rey leans into Leia's embrace but purses her lips. "I know it was him."
"Just promise me something."
"What?"
"Promise me you'll think first and find out what you can before you act."
"I'll try," Rey says. "But if I have an opportunity, you know I'll take it."
"I know," Leia replies, tiredly. "I couldn't talk any sense into Ben. It shouldn't surprise me that you're the same way."
"I miss him so much," Rey says through the lump in her throat.
"Me too."
That night, the Resistance camp feasts like they haven't eaten in years.